Christmas Traditions
by WickedHope
Summary: This is my first fic. I hope you all enjoy. It's just a little thing on TK and Kari's traditions on Christmas. This summary isn't good. There's a better one inside. I love Christmas, so I hope you do too, even in February. T, just in case. One-shot!


**Summary: TK and Kari both made a wish that they would both fulfill a promise that they made to themselves for Christmas Eve. TK's was to give Kari a gift and Kari's was to kiss TK under the mistletoe. However, neither of them got to fulfill their promises. But Christmas Eve isn't over until midnight…**

**A/N: This story takes place after the Adventure 02 episode, "A Very Digi Christmas". I'm not altering that story, but I'm just stating what happened after they all went home. Since it was never specified whether or not that was actually on Christmas Eve, I'm going to say it was. This is my first fic so I hope you enjoy! I needed an idea, so I went with Christmas even though it's February.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, or any of its characters, ideas, or creations. But I do own this fic, my ideas, and MY creations. I wish I owned Digimon…**

**Anyway… Enjoy!**

**Onward!**

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"Christmas Traditions"

By: WickedHope

10:30 PM

The fluorescent red display mocked TK, reminding him of how late it was getting. Less than two hours left until Christmas Day, and TK never got to give Kari his gift for her.

TK loved being a Digi Destined and had since the first moment he stepped foot in the Digi World. Never once would he _ever _even consider what it would be like if he hadn't gone to summer camp back in '99. He was proud to be the Chosen of Hope. Only, sometimes it got in the way of things.

For over three years, he had been alongside the other Digi Destined, fighting monsters, saving lives. Never once had he regretted a moment.

And never once had he ever felt anything more than friendship for the Chosen of Light next to him.

However, TK was getting older, his hormones were raging, and he always expected that one day he would fall in love with a girl. And he was happy to admit that that girl was Kari.

He loved everything about her. He couldn't even come up with a list since it would be far too long. Even her little insecurities and problems he loved. They all gave him a reason to need to help and save her. For example, just a couple weeks before, Kari had begun feeling insecure about her body when she was changing in front of the other girls at cheerleading practice who were all… over-developed for their age. But TK silently loved her body. Actually, he wished that the rest of the group had taken Davis's idea for strip-poker. Kari sucked at poker.

He climbed off his bed with a groan, picking up the small wrapped package on his night-stand. Unfortunately, it sat next to his damn alarm clock.

10:40

TK hated that thing. He wished it would freeze, or just disappear altogether. He didn't want to look at it. The only purpose it served was cruelly reminding him how little time was left in the day.

It took twenty minutes to get to Kari's, on foot, that is. Plus, he remembered that she always went to sleep early on Christmas Eve to wake up even earlier the next morning. She was probably already sleeping.

10:45

The time cursed his eyes again as he flipped open his cell phone. He scrolled through his texts. There were two hundred between TK and Kari in just the past week, all adorned with small digital smiley faces and hearts. He looked at the contact that she had entered herself.

Kari 3

He adored the heart that she had attached to her name. They both knew very well how they felt about the other, and knew that the feeling was reciprocated, but they wouldn't admit it. Why did they have to be so shy when it came to their feelings for each other? Love is a tricky thing, though. Tricky to figure, tricky to identify, and even trickier to say, no matter how short the word is.

10:50

He couldn't take it; he had to see her!

He remember their tradition: Every year, TK and Kari were both the first to wish the other a Merry Christmas. It had been that way since they had met. They wouldn't do it in person. Just a phone call very early in the morning served the purpose.

11:00

Maybe it wasn't too late after all. TK wouldn't be someone that was expected to break tradition. He hated surprises, but Kari loved 'em.

He looked at Patamon, half-awake on the floor. He was far too tired to want to digivolve after the battle. But, then again, the more tired you are, the better you sleep.

TK shook Patamon awake and grabbed his D-3, cell phone, and gift. He opened the door to his balcony.

11:05

It wasn't too late yet.

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Kari sighed as she walked through the front door of her family's apartment. She stared at the decoration that hung from the door-frame: mistletoe.

Ah, just the word, so enchanting to say brought a feeling of deep regret to the pit of Kari's stomach. This plant, that decorated every doorway during this season, had evaded her all day. And now that she was in front of it, she was alone.

Well, except for Tai, but she didn't want to kiss him (and neither did Sora, according to Tai's account of Matt's concert). Anyway, he was already halfway to their shared bedroom, both him and Agumon dragging their feet down the hall.

Kari felt pathetic. She was in the seventh grade, the head cheerleader, beautiful (according to TK), but had never been kissed. However, she wanted her first kiss to be special, under the mistletoe on Christmas. And she was holding out for one specific pair of lips: TK, the loved of her life since the moment she had clapped her eyes on his back at Highton View Terrace, back when they were both terrified little eight-year-olds. But they both grew up, and she grew to love him.

She placed Gatomon on the ground, who in turn yawned and crawled over to Kari and Tai's room. Kari herself plopped down onto the couch under the dim light of her family's Christmas tree. She laid her pink overcoat over the arm of the couch and wrapped herself in a blanket.

11:20

The bright display on the TV stand glared at Kari through the dark, bringing the thought to her mind that Christmas Eve was almost over and she had not yet kissed TK.

11:25

The cordless phone stand mounted on the wall met her eyes next. A small, quiet giggle left her mouth as she recalled what a phone did for her every Christmas.

TK had moved away before they had had the chance to spend their first Christmas together. Both children were hysterical in the morning, missing their best friends. Their mothers both resolved to let them call each other to calm them down. That day they made a pact that they would do the same every year. They promised each other that their voices greeting each other would be the first thing they heard every Christmas morning thereafter.

Only, Kari didn't care how few hours separated her from the phone call. She only cared about how much she longed to taste his lips.

11:40

She had promised herself that it would happen before Christmas Eve was through. Maybe she was wrong. Slowly, wallowing in defeat, Kari began to drift to sleep. Her eyelids became heavier. She was almost out until…

_Tap, tap, tap._

Kari's eyes snapped open, shooting first to the clock.

11:50

_What taps this late at night? _she thought. Her answer was found at the glass door that led to her balcony.

TK!

Her heart beat hard against her chest as she opened the door in a false grogginess.

"Santa," she groaned, a smirk gracing her lips, "don't you usually go down the chimney?"

TK's arms enveloped her figure, and she entered a state of bliss as her face was pressed into his chest. They entered the apartment hand-in-hand. Kari noticed a small present sticking out of TK's vest pocket. They sat down on the couch.

11:55

_This better be quick, _she thought. "How did you get here?" she questioned out loud, drawing the blanket around her shoulders.

"Patamon," he answered shortly, pointing to the Digimon, who crawled in that moment. He collapsed as soon as he had crossed the threshold. "I'll be walking home though. But I just couldn't go without giving you my gift." He read the clock.

11:56

TK handed her the gift. She smiled at him before tearing the paper off. Inside was a silver picture frame shaped like a heart. The picture was of them in the snow, wrapped in each other's arms, her lips pressed to his cheek. "Light" was printed in pink on one side and "Hope" in yellow on the other.

11:57

"TK," Kari said, wrapping her arms around his neck after propping the frame up on the coffee table, "I love it." She hesitated before continuing. "And I love you."

"I love you too." His response was immediate. He had been waiting for this for a long time.

"Crap," she muttered noticing that she was empty-handed. "I'm sorry. I didn't get you anything."

11:58

"That's fine," TK said, pulling her closer and cupping her face. "I know of one thing you could give me. It's all I want from you for Christmas." He inched his face closer, tilting his head slightly. Their lips were about to touch when…

"Wait!" Kari interjected. "Just one thing." She took both of his hands in hers and led him to the front door.

11:59

_This better be good, _she thought. _I just interrupted a _really _romantic moment for this stupid plant. But a promise is a promise._

TK looked up and saw the mistletoe. He knew what to do next.

He wrapped his arms around her small waist and she entwined her fingers behind his neck. She stood on tip-toe to reach his face. They drew closer once again and their lips met, softly, lovingly, and passionately. They felt like it could go on forever and wished it could. Eventually, they needed to come up for air just when his tongue had begun to graze her lips.

_Wow, _was their shared thought.

Both were still in awe while TK scooped up Patamon and opened the door, giving her one last chaste kiss before stepping through the doorframe.

"I'll call you tomorrow morning," TK said with a grin.

"Tradition is tradition," Kari replied, a smile tugging at her lip.

Ah, yes it was, their Christmas tradition added to a long list of traditions that had stood for centuries. This list included gift giving, kissing under the mistletoe, and wishing on the North Star. Tradition is what makes Christmas what it is. What is Christmas _without _tradition?

And tradition was something both TK and Kari loved and appreciated as every clock in Odaiba read…

12:00

Kari smiled, settling herself back on the couch. TK smiled as he strolled away from the home of his love. They had done it, both of them.

Tradition had served them well.

12:01 AM

Kari's phone vibrated in her pocket. She fished it out and held it to her ear.

"Merry Christmas," TK's voice said at the other end of the call.

"Merry Christmas," Kari replied, her tone sweet.

Everyone knows you have to follow tradition.

**THE END**

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**A/N: So, how was it? Please review. New stories to come. Thanks for reading.**

**WickedHope  
**


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